DHAKA, 04 September 2022, (TON): A Chinese-Bangladeshi consortium will sign an agreement with Bangladesh Power Development Board to set up a 55MW wind power plant on build-own-operate basis at Mongla in Bagerhat.

As per the proposed deal, state-owned BPDB will purchase electricity from the independent power producer plant for over the period of 20 years.

Earlier, in December 2020, the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase approved the proposal of a Chinese-Bangladeshi consortium to set up the power plant on build-own-operate basis.

As per the proposal of the Consortium of Envision Energy, Co Ltd, China, SQ Trading and Engineering, Bangladesh and Envision Renewable Energy Limited, Hong Kong will develop the plant under a new special project vehicle (SPV) company Mongla Green Power Ltd.

KABUL, 04 September 2022, (TON): Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged southern states to explore joint solution for river water sharing issues.

An official release said “in his address at the 30th southern zonal council meet held in Thiruvananthapuram and attended by Chief Ministers and Lieutenant Governors of southern states and union territories, he also asked Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to mutually resolve their pending issues.”

He said "the Union Home Minister called on all States of the Southern Zonal Council to explore a joint solution to the issues related to the sharing of waters.”

Inter-state river water disputes in the south include the Cauvery issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and Krishna river water sharing dispute involving Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

DHAKA, 04 September 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said “Bangladesh is following the situation in Myanmar following the second border violation by Myanmar security forces in a week.”

He said “violence is going on inside Myanmar. We have sealed the border. No matter how much Myanmar continues its provocation, we will not allow anyone to enter Bangladesh through the border.”

The foreign minister added “Border Guard Bangladesh have been put on alert so that no one from Myanmar can enter Bangladesh territory.”

He said “regular talks with the Myanmar junta were ongoing, and Bangladesh had been assured that there would be no incidents.”

DHAKA, 04 September 2022, (TON): The much-awaited "Bangamata Begum Fazilatun Nesa Mujib 8th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge" over Kocha River at Bekutia in Pirojpur is set to be inaugurated.

With the opening of the bridge, it will materialize the dream of millions of people of the country's southwestern region.

Pirojpur Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Jahedur Rahman told "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will virtually inaugurate the bridge at 10:30am.”

He said “necessary measures have been taken centering inauguration of the bridge.”

He added that two rallies will be held on the east and west banks of the Kacha river on the occasion.

DHAKA, 04 September 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said “the priority of her government is to ensure food security with other basic needs of the people considering the global crisis.”

The prime minister said this when outgoing ambassador of the Holly See-Vatican Archbishop George Kocherry, Papal Nancio, called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the meeting.

Sheikh Hasina said “the people around the globe are suffering due to pandemic, Russia-Ukraine War and sanctions and counter sanctions.”

WASHINGTON, 03 September 2022, (TON): Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “a long-awaited UN report reaffirmed the US view that China is committing genocide against the Uyghurs and called for Beijing to be held responsible.”

Blinken said “the United States welcomes the important report, released minutes before UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet who was strongly criticized by Washington for a recent visit to China left office.

He said in a statement “this report deepens and reaffirms our grave concern regarding the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity that PRC government authorities are perpetrating against Uyghurs.”

He said “we will continue to hold the PRC to account and call on the PRC to release those unjustly detained, account for those disappeared, and allow independent investigators full and unhindered access to Xinjiang, Tibet and across the PRC.”

HEBRON, 03 September 2022, (TON): Israeli army and the Palestinian health ministry said “a Palestinian was shot dead after stabbing an Israeli soldier at an army post near Hebron in the occupied West Bank.”

“An assailant armed with a knife” approached a military post and stabbed a soldier, the army said in a statement, adding that another soldier opened fire and neutralized the assailant.

It said “the moderately wounded soldier was evacuated to a hospital for medical attention, while fully conscious, and his family has been informed.”

The Palestinian health ministry said “it had been informed of the death of a young man near Hebron, but did not immediately identify him.”

NEW YORK, 03 September 2022, (TON): NBC News reported “US law enforcement raided two New York properties belonging to Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin and the target of sanctions.”

According to the report “federal agents and local police officers were spotted carrying boxes after they left an apartment in Manhattan’s lavish Park Avenue and a house in the Hamptons, an upscale vacation destination near New York City.”

Both properties are linked to Vekselberg, NBC said, citing US Treasury documents.

Authorities are also searching a property on Miami’s Fisher Island believed to be linked to Vekselberg, NBC reported.

DUBAI, 03 September 2022, (TON): Officials said “Iran’s navy seized two American sea drones in the Red Sea before letting them go, in the latest maritime incident involving the US Navy’s new drone fleet in the Mideast.”

Iranian state television aired footage it said came from the deck of the Iranian navy’s Jamaran destroyer, where lifejacket-wearing sailors examined two Saildrone Explorers.

They tossed one overboard as another warship could be seen in the distance.

State TV said “the Iranian navy found several unmanned spying vessels abandoned in the international maritime routes.”

After two warnings to an American destroyer to prevent possible incidents, Jamaran seized the two vessels.

CANBERRA, 03 September 2022, (TON): The Australian government announced on Friday it will increase its permanent immigration intake by 35,000 to 195,000 in the current fiscal year as the nation grapples with skills and labor shortages.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil announced the increase for the year ending June 30, 2023, during a two-day summit of 140 representatives of governments, trade unions, businesses and industry to address skills shortages exacerbated by the pandemic.

O’Neill said Australian nurses have been working double and triple shifts for the past two years, flights were being canceled because of a lack of ground staff and fruit was being left to rot on trees because there was no one to pick it.